The Facts
Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancer that causes purple, brown, or bluish-red tumors that look like sores on the skin. It may also affect the internal organs and the mucous membranes lining the mouth, nose, and anus.
It's the most common cancer found in people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and occurs as a complication of AIDS. Men infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are affected about 8 times more often than women with HIV. It is also more common among people taking immunosuppressive medications (e.g., organ transplant recipients).
Before AIDS became widespread, Kaposi's sarcoma was usually only found in elderly men, usually of Italian, Jewish, or African descent. It was also found in people who had received organ transplants and were taking immunotherapy to avoid organ rejection. In people with AIDS, the tumor grows and spreads more quickly than in elderly men without AIDS.